Course Description

This course covers fundamental concepts and principles of computer networks including various network architectures, protocols, standards, and networking device functionalities.

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to provide fundamental concepts and principles of computer networks. It focuses on various network architectures, protocols, standards, and the networking device functionalities. The course also aims to equip students with the skills to design, implement, test and troubleshoot basic network configurations.

Course Contents

1. Introduction

5 hrs

1.1. Computer network, importance and applications

1.2. Types of computer networks

1.3. Network topologies

1.4. Client/server and P2P networks

1.5. Protocols and standards, need of standardization

1.6. Layered network architecture, OSI and TCP/IP reference models

1.7. Addressing at different layers

1.8. Networking devices: Repeater, hub, bridge, switch, router, gateway

2. Physical Layer

5 hrs

2.1. Network monitoring: Bandwidth, throughput, delay, round-trip-time

2.2. Multiplexing - FDM, TDM, WDM

2.3. Switching - circuit switching, packet switching, datagram and virtual circuit switching

2.4. Transmission media

Guided media: twisted pair, coaxial, optical fiber

Unguided media: radio waves, microwaves, infrared

2.5. Ethernet cable standards (twisted pair and optical fiber)

2.6. Data encoding: Manchester, NRZ-I, MLT3, 4B/5B

3. Data Link Layer

8 hrs

3.1. Data link layer functions - Framing, error control, flow control, access control

3.2. Error control codes: Parity, checksum, CRC

3.3. Data link protocols: PPP, HDLC

3.4. Logical link control (LLC) and media access control (MAC) sublayers

3.5. Random access protocols: ALOHA, CSMA, CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA

3.6. Token based protocols: Token bus, token ring, FDDI

3.7. Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) and its evolution, bridged and switched Ethernet

3.8. WLAN (Wi-Fi) and IEEE 802.11

3.9. VLAN and its importance

3.10. Virtual circuit switching: ATM, MPLS

4. Network Layer

12 hrs

4.1. Network layer functions and services

4.2. Connection oriented and connectionless network services

4.3. Logical addressing and its importance

4.4. IPv4 addressing and classes, private and public IP address, sub-netting and super-netting, VLSM, CIDR

4.5. Unicast, multicast and broadcast addresses

4.6. Routing and types of routing

Static and dynamic routing

Unicast and multicast routing

Interior and exterior routing

Distance vector and link state routing

4.7. Routing protocols: RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP

4.8. Network address translation (NAT)

4.9. IPv6 addressing, need and features of IPv6

4.10. Protocols: IPv4, ARP, ICMP, IPv6, ICMPv6

4.11. Transition from IPv4 to IPv6 and strategies

4.12. Traffic shaping and congestion control mechanisms

5. Transport Layer

5 hrs

5.1. Transport layer functions and services

5.2. Elements of transport layer protocols

Process-to-process communication, addressing

Multiplexing and de-multiplexing

Segmentation and reassembly

Error control, flow control

5.3. Transport protocols: TCP and UDP

5.4. TCP services: connection setup and release, reliable, stream oriented, flow-control, error-control

5.5. Introduction to socket and socket programming

6. Upper Layers and Network Design

6 hrs

6.1. Functions and services of session, presentation and application layers

6.2. Introduction to upper layer protocols: DHCP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP, IMAP

6.3. DNS, its function and DNS queries

6.4. Network management tools and protocols (SNMP)

6.5. Basics of web, e-mail, DNS and proxy server configurations

6.6. VoIP, FoIP and IP interconnection

6.7. Network design and configuration guidelines

7. Advanced Topics

4 hrs

7.1. Introduction to software-defined networking (SDN), basic architecture, importance and applications

7.2. Network security and its importance

7.3. Overview of content delivery networks (CDNs), named data networking (NDN), intent based networking (IBN)

7.4. Quantum network, network virtualization and recent trends in networking

Laboratory Works

Practical sessions covering network cabling, router and switch configurations, subnetting, dynamic routing protocols, server configurations, wireless network setup, packet analysis, and network design using simulators.

1.Network cabling
2.Network commands
3.Basic router configurations
4.Subnetting and supernetting
5.Configuration of static routes and default routes
6.Dynamic routing configurations
7.Configuration of switch, VLAN configuration and inter-VLAN routing
8.Server configurations
9.Wireless network setup and packet analysis
10.Network troubleshooting
11.Network design
12.Presentation and review

Text Books

1.Forouzan, B. A. (2012). Data communications and networking. McGraw-Hill.
2.Kurose, J. F., Ross, K. W. (2017). Computer networking: A top-down approach. Pearson.

Reference Books

1.Tanenbaum, A.S., Feamster, N. (2021). Computer networks. Pearson.
2.Stevens, W.R., Fall, K.R. (2011). TCP/IP illustrated: The protocols. Addison-Wesley.
3.RFCs and online resources for protocol specifications.

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